Poblano Soup

There are countless variations on the corn and chile theme, many of them finding their way into soups. Most of the soups I've had end up being blended and with enough heavy cream to make the soup more of an indulgent comfort food than a savory course. I rather fancy my variation and with the exception of the small amount of butter, it's a very healthy and hearty clear soup. You can blend it if you want, but I like the texture of the vegetables.If you have access to red poblanos, it's nice to get a mixture of red and green.

1. Cut the poblanos into 1/3-inch strips and set aside.2. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or heavy pot and sauté the onion and garlic over medium-low heat until golden and soft. Add the corn, oregano, serranos, poblanos, and potatoes and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, making sure everything is coated with the butter and onion mixture. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.3. To serve, place in bowls and squeeze with fresh lime.

Options and Variations:

If you're really in a rush, you can omit the potatoes. Cook until the corn is heated through.

If you feel like having a thicker soup, take a cup of the mixture and blend it and then add it back to the pot.

In a pinch, you could really make the soup from cans and packages in your pantry and freezer, but it's so easy to make it fresh and the results are worth the small effort. Frozen corn works well but canned poblanos tend to be bland and sweet and lack the flavor of fresh roasted chiles.